Willow looked around and shuddered. It was cold, dark and dripping. She had brought a few vials of her make lots of light spell, but they had used that about half an hour back and its effects no longer reached where they were. When they had entered the darkness, Buffy had told them not to worry, that they were almost there. She clutched Tara's hand a little tighter and continued to walk.
Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne were at point, leading the way. Finally, they entered into a chamber that glowed with unearthly light. At its heart, a fissure gaped in the ground. Eerie cries and rages were heard emanating from it. The ground shook and the fissure widened.
"That wasn't here when I left it," Buffy said, trying to make a little light of the situation. Instead, the joke fell flat as her voice whispered it hoarsely.
"So, now what?" Annelise asked, a little uncertain. This was definitely the mouth of Hell, its contents eager to spew outward.
With that, the three Slayers disappeared.
The Ninth Depth of Hell
The time has come, Asmodeus thought to himself. He walked over to the rockface and unchained Angel. The vampire fell to the floor in a heap and remained there, not moving.
"Oh, you can't die on me yet, Angel. You're the guest of honor here!" Asmodeus teased the prone form. He lifted Angel up and pushed him against the wall. Holding him there, he paused before plunging his claws into Angel's chest and pulling.
Unknown Ethereal Location
"Where are we?" Lisanne asked, looking around.
They were on a patch of land that was vaguely rust colored that was floating in space. Rocks littered the landscape, but it was otherwise flat. The edge of the land could be seen clearly from where they stood. Buffy saw that the edge was just that, an edge; to step off that edge would probably mean floating in space indefinitely, and most possibly death, for the stars looked different and there was nothing else in the sky.
"Welcome to our realm," a voice that sounded like three voices combined boomed. "We are the Powers that Be."
Buffy looked all around her and saw that Annelise and Lisanne were doing the same, but she could not see where the voice(s) were coming from. A throaty laughter issued and the voice continued. "Child, you can not look upon us, for if you do, you will surely die."
At this Buffy frowned and asked, "What do you want? We have work to do."
"We know this child and we have brought you here to bestow upon you the full measure of your birthright, so that you may fulfill your destiny." The voice(s) said to her chidingly.
Buffy's frown became deeper as she sighed and waited. Can't any of these otherworldly creatures speak in anything but riddles?
"It is not a riddle, but a gift," the voices replied to her thought, "We believe you have already met your ally?"
With that, a burst of flame issued unseen from above and streaked to the ground in between Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne, where they had been standing in an uneven circle with their backs to each other in an unconscious move to protect one another. They jumped and turned to look into the center as the Faith stood from a crouching position and smiled at them.
Before Buffy could say anything, she smiled and said, "No, it's still not Faith. But in order to help you I must have a form. I received 'clemency' from the Powers when they saw that I sought to rid the world of the evil that remained after the creation and closing of the Hellmouth. I have resided here for ten thousand years, waiting for you three."
"For us?" Annelise asked.
Faith looked her way and nodded. "Yes. I knew from the beginning that I could not give my power to more than one girl at a time. When each died, the small measure of my strength would go on to the next. That was my punishment for my misdeeds in that time so long ago. I would be allowed to help save the world, but only through one mortal at a time. When you died the first time, Buffy, I knew that the end would soon come. Kendra was called, and gifted with my strength, but when you were revived, you were gifted again, thus becoming the strongest Slayer to ever live."
Faith turned to Annelise and Lisanne. "You two were not meant to be the way you are, either. Long before you were born, there was only one of you. Something happened and the two of you were born instead of one. You received my power doubled, so that together, you are also stronger than any Slayer. I know how much this power appeals to you. Before this is over though, you will both have to sacrifice."
At that Annelise and Lisanne looked at each other and wondered what the strange being that wore the visage of a Slayer meant.
She turned to Buffy again. "We're all doing this for closure and rewards. I know what the Powers mean to grant you Buffy, and you deserve it. I know what they mean to grant me, and for the first time in time as we know it, I will take up my responsibility and be at peace."
"We are pleased at your words," the Powers said from everywhere and nowhere at once.
With that, a flash erupted at the surface of the barren landscape of the rock and the four beings on it disappeared.
The Hellmouth
Willow cried out as another earthquake shook underground. Pebbles pelted them from the ceiling and the opening became wider. Willow could now see into the crevice and what she saw was not unscary. Though what spat and clawed at her from beyond the magical barrier that held it closed was nothing compared to The Mayor, they were nasty and could be deadly if they wanted to be. Cordelia cried out as another, larger rock hit her in the shoulder.
Giles looked to Wesley and they exchanged a glance. They both looked to Madeline and the grimness was shared by all three. They knew that when the Hellmouth opened, the demons would fly out fast and furious. From the look of the ones right at the surface, they were from the first tier of hell. Evil, yes, deadly, yes, easy to kill, not really, but definitely easier than what the Slayers had to go up against. Should the ones from the first tier escape the Hellmouth, those from the second layer of hell would follow, then the third and so on. They did not want to think what would happen then.
The Seventh Depth of Hell
A flash of light invaded the otherwise gloomy entrance. Buffy, Faith, Annelise and Lisanne stood and eyed their surroundings carefully. Behind them was a locked gate. Faith spoke up, "This way."
Buffy had forgotten that this was not really Faith. This was some darkness that the Powers that Be trusted to help save the world. And it knew its way around Hell. A definite plus.
"Not so fast," a male voice called out to them. "Master Sataaran would like to see you."
Buffy turned to see that it was that snide lawyer from Wolfram & Hart. Lindsey McDonald. Her lip curled and she rushed to him to punch him right in the nose.
Blood gushed outward and demons could be heard squealing with laughter from unseen locations. "That was expected," he continued, holding his nose. "But unnecessary. That was not a request. Good to see you again, Faith."
With that, he beckoned and twelve immense armored phantoms stepped forward. Lindsey didn't know that the real Faith was dead and neither did these specters apparently. Buffy looked towards Faith and saw that she had allowed herself to be held by three of the guards and she motioned for the others to do the same.
~*You must trust the darkness, mother, no matter what*~ Buffy remembered her daughter's voice and submitted herself to capture as well. Lisanne and Annelise still looked ready to fight, but followed suit.
They put up no resistance as they were led/prodded through this depth of hell. Hell was strange. It was always described as someplace that people went to if they were evil. No one ever thought about the evil that was already there. No pitchforks and devils either. It was barren and lifeless, yet full of creatures. There were a few vaguely human shapes, shades really that cried out mournfully as they passed. Other creatures, mostly demons, abounded. Fighting, eating, tearing what was left of the structures that had been erected to shreds. Buffy wondered how anyone could live in a place like this, that some demons must have some taste, but decided after a bloody chunk of appendage flew through the air and nearly knocked her and her escorts down that she was mistaken.
After the long trudge through the unbearable heat, the four of them, the twelve escorts and Lindsey arrived in what looked like a giant sized living room. The furniture and everything was fitted like any living room, just three times as big. Lila sat on a tremendous chair and said, "Sataaran will be with you shortly, make yourselves comfortable."
With that, the guards bowed and left. The girls looked at one another, and clambered up on the giant couch. None of them wanted to speak to Lila, but as they stretched out they began swapping demon killing stories.
"There was this one time in the fifteenth century, when a Cavore demon actually-" Faith began after Buffy had finished about The Mayor. She was interrupted by a large belch and Sataaran making his way into the room, clad only in boxer shorts.
"Hello girls, I've been expecting you. Would you like anything? Blood? Stewus Vomitus? Pus? Oh, wait you're only humans, you don't want any of that," he finished, chuckling.
He looked to Faith, "I wasn't expecting to see you down here. TPTB finally let you out to play?" Her eyes flashed with anger, literally, but she said nothing. Shrugging, he continued. "I bet you're all wondering why you're not dead yet."
Annelise spoke for the first time since entering Hell, "The thought had crossed our minds."
Sataaran began to laugh. "That was a good one. I'll have to tell Goran up on the Fourth about that. But seriously, I don't have anything against any one of you. I made my peace a long time ago and decided that I like it here. Don't really care too much about the earthly plane, you know?" he asked, conversationally.
He dropped down into a huge recliner. He popped the built in ottoman out and fished around behind the chair. When he drew his clawed hand out from behind it, he held a gigantic can which read "Lympho Cola: Now with platelets!" The Slayers all wrinkled their noses in disgust and waited for him to continue. "You see, I like it so much, I want to be the head guy here. That's what Asmodeus is. That guy. I can't stand him. Always ranting and raving about how he's going to take over the world."
Buffy looked to Lisanne who was at the far end of the couch. Faith and Annelise caught her look also. 'Is this guy for real?' she mouthed to them.
He looked over at Buffy and she started, thinking he was angry. "Sorry about before," he said to her, his voice taking on a contrite tone. "I had to make a big show back in L.A. just in case Asmo was watching. Don't call him that though, he can't stand it. He needed Angel, but he was frustrated with the whole concept of being trapped in a pentagram so he sent me. Sorry about Spike, too. I saw what happened. A shame."
"Thank you." Buffy replied looking down. Was she actually having a pleasant conversation with one of the biggest and baddest of Hell?
Lisanne spoke up. "So why aren't we dead?"
Sataaran finished his soda and threw the can behind him. Lila promptly got up to retrieve it and disappeared with it through a door, which opened to reveal a triple sized kitchen. Buffy guessed Lila's punishment for being involved with all of Wolfram & Harts misdeeds was to suffer in Hell, alive, as the maid of this demon. His physique was amazing, but his manners were decidedly dreadful. Not an easy task to cook, clean and wait on a twelve foot demon bachelor. It was a good punishment as far as she was concerned. "Well, mostly because you guys don't matter. If Asmo opens the Hellmouth, I get his spot. If you guys kill him, I get his spot. You see? It really doesn't matter. No matter what happens, I get to be the number one guy in these parts."
Buffy took in the warped logic of this demon prince. She couldn't believe it. "So, that's it? You'll let us go?"
"Yep, go get'em girls. I'd actually like it better if you kill him. Never liked that guy," he replied with a winning grin. Absently, he ran his hand over one of his horns and waved them on with the other. "Lila! Get me something to eat!"
Looking at each other again, in disbelief of the entire exchange the Slayers followed Faith as she spoke. "Come on, I know a short cut."
The Ninth Depth of Hell
The vampire rose and grinned. "Thanks. That guy was killing me."
"You will do well to respect me, Angelus," Asmodeus replied. Angelus only glared at him and walked away.
He looked at his claws. They were still imbedded in Angel's chest, after he pulled him out of Angelus' body. He lay the battered body on the stone slab and chained down the limbs. The two were now separate. The soul, now in human form and the vampire, full demon. Now Angelus came back and studied Angel as Asmodeus prepared him for the completion of the ritual.
"Bastard!" Angelus cried out as he jumped up onto the slab and straddled Angel. He began to pummel him. Fist after fist went flying. Stomach, face, neck, even the crotch once. This all happened in a matter of seconds and before Asmodeus could stop him. Angel looked up at his tormenter to see that it was the demon who had haunted him for over a hundred years. The demon who wore his face. Weakly, he gathered up what he could and spit right into Angelus' face. Angelus howled with rage and made to snap Angel's neck.
"Pest!" Asmodeus cried out. He struck Angelus with all of his strength and the full demon vampire flew across the room, hitting his head on the jagged edge of rock that framed the entrance to this chamber. He lay still and Asmodeus was satisfied that he would no longer interrupt until the ritual was over.
Angel drifted in and out of consciousness and as he did, he thought about the prophecies. He knew that he one day was to become human and then die as a human. Drift. He knew that it would be after he had played his role in the final battle. Drift. He just didn't think it would be all on the same day. Dr-. He heard a gasp come from the direction he had seen Angelus fly.
"Angel!" Buffy cried out seeing Angelus' lying face down at the entrance to the chamber. She bent to help him when Faith pointed to Asmodeus and the slab with an identical Angel lying on it.
The Hellmouth
The ground shook furiously and the opening undid itself even more. But, for the first time, the magical barrier began to fade and weaken. The group gathered exchanged dark looks and readied their various weapons. They could only hope that Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne could defeat Asmodeus.
The Ninth Depth of Hell
Buffy gazed at the self proclaimed ruler of Hell. Hardly your classic villain, she thought to herself, as she studied him. He was tall, but not as tall as Sataaran and lithe. His face had a particular quality which forced her mind to conjure an image of a wolf, though the features were plainly human. His skin tone, eyes and robes were varying degrees of silver and gray. His long hair was a shock of blinding white. He looked a little like a sinister elf, Buffy thought to herself. She shivered. In the few seconds it took her to size up her greatest enemy ever, the temperature in the room plummeted from chilly to frostbitten.
"Cetatari!" he roared.
Buffy whirled as a cloud of dust appeared in front of her. The cloud condensed, reforming itself to take on the shape of a woman who was both beautiful and rotting. Through her exposed ribcage, a blackened heart beat sickly, spewing ichors with each weak pulse. "Yes, my lord?" she queried.
"Take care of our 'guests'."
"With pleasure," she answered in a tone that was both seductive and threatening.
The Seventh Depth of Hell
"Cetatari finally got out of that dungeon she likes to call a home?" Sataaran wondered aloud, staring at the movie theatre sized screen in front of him.
"Lila! Get me some popcorn. This is going to be good!"
The Ninth Depth of Hell
The group of four had split up. Annelise and Lisanne were taking on Cetatari and Buffy and Faith were against Asmodeus.
As they fought, Asmodeus taunted Buffy. "You can't stop me. The ritual has already begun. The Gate to the first Depth is almost unlocked. You can bet that even if you stop me, your friends will be dead."
Buffy grimaced and she punctuated each word with a punch or a spinning kick to Asmodeus' face. "My. Friends. Won't. Die. You. Will."
A pale and sickly light began to emanate from the slab where Angel was still strapped in. Asmodeus grew frustrated as he matched both Buffy and Faith blow for blow. "I have had ENOUGH!" he cried out.
With that, he raised his arms and they began to crackle with energy. At the same time, Lisanne and Annelise fell to the ground unconscious. Buffy fell to her knees. Faith vanished and a darkness replaced her form. Asmodeus witnessed this and turned. "You! You are what created all of this. Their deaths are on your head!"
Lightening flew from Asmodeus' hands and passed through the darkness, not harming it. The lightening zagged across the room to hit Cetatari as she was about to kill the two unconscious Slayers. She jumped as the bolt hit her and turned. She gave Asmodeus a shamelessly lewd grin and collapsed.
Sickened, and weak, Buffy looked up as Asmodeus turned to her. Suddenly, she felt power surge through her. Faith, Kendra, Annelise, Lisanne, Nicky and the Chinese Slayer that Spike had killed, thousands of faces flashed in front of her, each running into a blur as the next one took its place, only to be blurred as well. She stood up and swung at Asmodeus.
"How do you like that, Asmo?" she heard herself asking. Kick, punch, spin, kick. "And that?" she grunted. Asmodeus landed on the ground and skidded up against a wall. She haunted his trail and sat astride his lap. She grasped his head and held him down with a strength she knew wasn't her own. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Annelise and Lisanne struggle to their feet and stumble to the stone slab.
The Hellmouth
The magical seal broke open and the first horde of demons poured out of the fissure in the ground which was now large enough to hold a tank. Weapons flew as well as spells. A few demons escaped into the cave system, but most were dead.
"Well that wasn't too hard," Xander commented.
No sooner than the words were out of his mouth than another two score of demons issued forth from the gaping hole.
The Ninth Depth of Hell
As she held Asmodeus, Buffy shouted instructions to Annelise and Lisanne. Dimly, she was aware of speaking, but she didn't know where the words were coming from, for she wasn't thinking them. The demon lord made a sharp movement and Buffy sank her hands further into his hair, and pulled. Asmodeus' head whipped sharply against the wall. He whimpered, "How are you doing this? No mere mortal, even with what little power you have can do this to me."
Buffy saw that Lisanne and Annelise had, after some difficulty, freed Angel. They supported his weight almost unsuccessfully between them. The shadows cast themselves against the contours of Asmodeus' face. She moved so that her face was only whispers away from his. "Do not worry about how I have done this. You have lost and I am free."
Buffy drew the sword that had lain across her back forgotten for most of this battle. She yanked the hair down and with it the demon king's head. Asmodeus stared up at the Slayer and saw the blackness of her eyes and understood. Only one who is like him could defeat him. He closed his eyes as the blade sliced through.
Buffy ran to where the other three had collapsed and dove. A blinding flash of black light exploded out of the stump which used to support Asmodeus' head. It was followed immediately with a golden white discharge.
The Hellmouth
A blaze of golden white light ripped through the cavern of the Hellmouth, killing every demon in its path. When it dissipated, all who had gathered there looked in shock as the opening, which had widened to fit a jumbo airliner was suddenly closed. In its place were the figures of five people. Their shapes were outlined against the smoke which rose around them. Willow looked up from where she was kneeling, bandaging a gouge some unfriendly demon had put into Tara's leg and saw the figures as well. She said a few words under her breath and a wind blew through the grotto.
Everyone's mouths hung open with shock. They could hardly believe what they saw. Buffy, Annelise and Lisanne, they expected. Angel was no surprise, but Faith?
She held up a hand to stay any questions. "I'm not the Slayer you all knew. But now, I am the One. The Hellmouth is gone. Buffy, Lisanne and Annelise have been released. No more Slayers will be called. I will take my leave to finish off what is left here."
In a swirl of darkened mist, she disappeared, leaving everyone dumbfounded.
"That wasn't Faith, was it?" Xander asked in a small voice.
Smiling at her friend, Buffy shook her head. Together, they helped Angel to his feet. He was still out cold, but he was slowly coming to enough to walk. His breathing was fine and his pulse steady. Willow and Tara reached out to help Lisanne while Anya and Cordelia walked ahead with Annelise's arms thrown over their shoulders. The now former Watchers found purchase in each other's outstretched hands as they too waded out of the cavern.
Early That Morning
They had all piled into the three cars that were waiting where they had parked them haphazardly before beginning the evening to save the world. Buffy pulled out into the early morning traffic and Giles and Cordelia followed. No one had said a word since they had emerged from the caves. She opened the door to her home and they all filed in, some painfully, but all thankfully under their own strength. Every one of them sat themselves comfortably somewhere in the room whether on furniture or on the floor, and promptly fell asleep. Buffy was the last and as she looked around the room at her friends and allies, she smiled and fell into her own restful slumber.
As Joyce and Dawn awoke later that morning, they were surprised to see all twelve of them strewn across the floor, but relieved that everyone was alive.
Epilogue
Later that day, they all gathered at the magic shop. Anya bemoaned the lack of adequate cash intake for the day, and Xander told her in a lot of words to shut up. But, the exchange was lighthearted and punctuated by hugs and giggles. Cordelia wandered through the store with Willow and Tara. She would point, they would name. It was a good game. Everyone else sat around the table discussing what had happened the night before.
"It was weird. One second, I was down, almost dead, the next, wham! I'm super Slayer." Buffy shivered a little. She hoped that no one would notice, but Angel did. He didn't say anything. She remembered the cold and calculating ruthlessness of the darkness as it worked through her. That is what Dracula had told her about. The darkness, it was there all along. She was just afraid to admit it to herself. Now this darkness was out in the world, hunting the last remnants of demon kind on this earth. She wondered what would become of it when it was finished.
Annelise spoke up, "We wondered what it had meant when it said that we would have to sacrifice, Lisanne and I. We know now that our sacrifice was the power. We loved the power that we had. But I'm not sorry to see it go. We can live normal lives now."
Lisanne nodded in agreement as Giles spoke. "Yes, well…Humility is a great virtue. I suppose we can all breathe a cautious sigh of relief. For as long as the Hellmouth existed, the danger was always there that it could be opened and we would all be doomed. Now it is gone, erased. I must say as far as prophecies go, that one was a bit vague. It is the end of our world as we knew it."
Buffy nodded swiftly. "It was the truth."
Angel looked at her, with a faraway look in his eyes. "I got my reward. I'm human again. After more than two hundred and forty years, I'm finally human."
Buffy looked at him, remembering their conversation on that Valentine's Day. Could it have been only five and a half months ago? "Angel," she began and got up.
Angel pushed himself away from the table and followed her out into the daylight. She sat on the bench outside of the shop and looked away as he pushed through the door. He sat next to her and draped his arm casually around her shoulder. She carefully pulled away and wiped the stray tears from around her eyes. He reached around and pulled her face until she was looking into his eyes.
"Annelise and Lisanne got their reward. You got your reward. But I didn't get what I wanted. Faith said that I would get what I deserved. It's true that now I can have a normal life, but after everything that I've been through, its not what I want. It's just too soon. Too much has happened."
Angel looked at her, with his brow furrowed and drew closer. "What do you want?"
A brilliant light enveloped them and they found themselves in the presence of the Oracles, their children.
"Hello Father." William stated.
Angel looked to see his son, grown exactly as he was. His daughter, the duplicate of Buffy. Tears formed in his eyes and he opened his arms to them. They returned his embrace and reassembled themselves on the steps in the rear of the room.
Angela looked at her parents sadly. "A bargain must be made. Father, what do you want?"
"For Buffy to be happy." Angel replied without hesitation.
"Mother, what do you want?" William asked.
Buffy glanced tearfully at Angel and then back at their children. "Spike."
"Your wishes outweigh ours in this matter in the eyes of the Powers that Be. Never again will your souls cross paths in this lifetime. For your sacrifice, Father, the Powers are willing to grant you the ability to continue their work, but you will remain mortal. For your sacrifice, Father, Spike will be returned as well to the realm of humanity. Do you accept these terms?" Angela inquired
Angel cast his eyes on Buffy. Her face was a mixture of hope and pleading. Love and anguish. He bowed his head. "I accept."
"You have been granted one minute before you must part ways forever, each knowing that the other exists, but no longer of each other's world."
Buffy threw her arms around Angel's neck, crying. "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, Angel."
He tucked his chin into her shoulder and stroked her hair. He hushed her gently and kissed her on the cheek. "I'll be there next time. I'll be there for you. I'll be waiting, Buffy. I love you."
She pulled back from him and tears continued to run down her cheeks. "I love you too, Angel. I'll be looking for you."
Angela and William looked at each other and nodded. A flash of light burst through their chamber and Buffy landed in front of the magic shop. She wondered what had happened to Angel. Where he was. She loved him more for what he did for her happiness. She knew that when they met again, there would be nothing that would complicate their lives and they would be together. She also knew that it was impossible this time. She knew who she wanted to spend her life with.
She reached into her inside pocket to pull out Spike's cigarette case and found that it was missing. She must have dropped it when she fell. She looked around the ground and under the bench when she saw a very familiar looking pair of boots. She looked up and saw worn black denim and the black leather of a duster. She continued and saw a black tee shirt and a hand with the nails painted black outstretched in front of her.
The hand pulled her up and into an embrace. She kissed his lips that were warm at last. She looked into his deep blue eyes and traced her fingertips through his white blonde hair, as it shone in the sunlight and said the words that she had wanted to from their very beginning.
"I love you, Spike."
The (Actual) End